How much do you know about G-M-O foods? Joining us live from New York City to tell us more... ....are CATTLE and soybean farmer Kristina Sutton.. And CORN and soybean farmer Julie Kenney. GMOS. Genetically Modified Organisms. First -- a nutshell on what they really are -- and why GMOs came about. GMO stands for 'genetically modified organism.' For thousands of years, farmers and gardeners have been tinkering with plants to genetically modify them through selective breeding to express a desired trait - whether it be taste, size of fruit, color or disease resistance. Genetic engineering simply serves as a more technologically advanced method to modify a plant. Instead of in a field, genetic engineering allows genes to be transferred from one organism into another in a lab. It shortens the time it takes to get the desired traits in a specific plan from 10 years to two or three years. The big question right now -- ARE THEY SAFE? Huge debate here in the islands. Every plant improved through genetic engineering is examined by the FDA, USDA and EPA for potential health risks. Tests are done on plants before entering the food and animal feed supply. Fruits, vegetables and grains from genetically- improved crops on the market today are indistinguishable from food from other breeding methods. The FDA has found that they have the same nutritional value. Crops from commercially available GMO seeds are more studied and better understood than any other product. In fact, it costs on average, $136 million and 13 years to bring one GMO seed to market. In the years that farmers have grown crops from genetically-engineered seeds, there has not been a single instance of harm to human health, from the trillions of meals consumed. You're saying they're safe. But is it REALLY neccessary? We've got farmers here -- doing an excellent job with NON-GMO foods. Which many people just feel BETTER about. Only eight crops - corn, soybeans, cotton, canola, alfalfa, sugar beets, papaya and squash - are available from genetically-improved seeds for commercial use in the U.S. These crops have been developed primarily for herbicide tolerance, insect and disease resistance. They often increase yield and greatly reduce the use of insecticides. A few, such as the papaya, are credited with saving specific crops from disease. As the world's population grows, possibly adding two billion more people by 2050, and agricultural production land resources stay the same or shrink, genetically- engineered seeds can be a critical tool in feeding the world using fewer chemicals and fewer natural resources. Most important thing people can do -- what 2 C1 2 C1